New XEC COVID 19 VARIANT: What You Need To Know

- December 14, 2024

~~ Dr. Wey George Danlami Consultant-Family Physician

The new COVID variant XEC is spreading rapidly and could soon become the dominant variant globally. First detected in Germany in August, XEC is not radically different from other variants, but it appears to have a growth advantage.

XEC is a recombinant variant, resulting from genetic material exchanged between the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants. Both parent variants evolved from JN.1, which was dominant in 2024.

As of September 18, over 600 XEC cases have been identified in 27 countries across Europe, North America, and Asia. The US, Germany, UK, Canada, and Denmark have the highest number of cases.

XEC is a minority variant with high prevalence in Germany, followed by the UK and the US. It is spreading faster than other variants and is expected to become dominant globally in the coming months.

The spike protein mutations in XEC may contribute to its growth advantage, but the effects of these mutations are still being studied.

It is not yet known if XEC causes worse disease, but symptoms are expected to be similar to other variants. The autumn booster campaign in the UK will target the JN.1 variant to provide protection against severe illness.

XEC is just one of many variants being monitored as the virus evolves naturally. Other closely related variants, like MV.1 with similar spike protein mutations, are also being watched.

While XEC may become the dominant global variant, it could be outcompeted by other variants in the future. Monitoring and research are ongoing to understand the impact of XEC on COVID infections.